Like a bolt from the blue, the murder of Hindu Mahasabha leader Kamlesh Tiwari took a shocking turn when his mother accused a BJP leader, Shiv Kumar Gupta, of being the main perpetrator behind the crime, according to a News18 report. 

In a conversation with News18, she termed Shiv Kumar Gupta as a 'mafia' who has around 500 cases against him and she apparently requested the police to bring him in for questioning. "He had taken over as the president of local temple and killed my son over a dispute regarding construction of the structure," she said. 

The allegation can put the Uttar Pradesh government in a more dicey situation as Tiwari's mother had previously blamed the government for failing to protect his son despite repeatedly asking for security. 

Refuting those claims, Director General of Police (DGP) O P Singh in a statement issued by the Uttar Pradesh government said: "Tiwari was provided security for the past some months under which, apart from a gunner, security personnel was provided from the local police station."

Earlier, the family said that they would not cremate Tiwari's body until Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityantah pays them a visit, with Tiwari's wife threatening to burn herself. 

Family members of #KamleshTiwari say that they won't cremate his body till Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath pays them a visit. Wife says,"I will self-immolate." https://t.co/ONDfEMePyR pic.twitter.com/hRfSb9LhFp

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 19, 2019

But in a contradictory narrative, a lesser-known outfit called the Al-Hind Brigade claimed responsibility late on Friday night for the murder of Hindu Samaj Party president Kamlesh Tiwari here, though the authenticity of the claim could not immediately be verified.

"We at Al-Hind Brigade claim the responsibility for killing Kamlesh Tiwari, who tried to defame Islam and Muslims. More to come," the outfit said in a WhatsApp message that was widely circulated. 

On the other hand, the police have booked three people based on the complaint lodged by Tiwari's wife. ASP Tripathi said, "On the basis of the complaint lodged by the wife of the deceased, police have registered an FIR against three people, including an unknown person."

Two of the accused have been identified as Mohammed Mufti Naeem Kazmi and Imam Maulana Anuwarul Haq, both residents of Bijnor district, and they have been booked under Sections 302 (murder) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.

(With inputs from PTI)